Pedal for Kids Raises $225,891 to Support Families at the Children's!
Event participants rose to the occasion despite today's uncertain climate.
MONTREAL, Oct. 9, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation is happy to announce that the 2020 special edition of Pedal for Kids raised $225,891 for the Children's young patients and their parents, who need support now more than ever. Despite the many challenges posed by COVID-19, organizing committee members, participants and donors worked together to ensure the success of the Foundation's flagship event.
A year unlike any other!
The 17 participating teams – most of them from the private sector – weren't able to take their traditional ride through the streets of downtown Montreal, so they celebrated their fundraising efforts safely with a virtual event on Saturday, September 26. The event Co-presidents, Rudy Azoulay and Eddy Farrace, expressed their gratitude. "Although they couldn't participate in team-building activities with their colleagues, over 360 participants demonstrated their commitment in an inspirational way," said Mr. Farrace. "Given the unprecedented situation, the $225,891 raised for the Healthy Kids Fund is even more remarkable," added Mr. Azoulay.
The Healthy Kids Fund supports the Hospital's most urgent needs, allowing our medical experts to offer essential care to countless young patients who desperately need it, now and beyond the pandemic. "The participants' support for our young patients and their families is invaluable, especially now. It's reassuring to be able to count on the generosity of a whole community and our precious donors to help the Children's find unexpected ways to heal," said Renée Vézina, the Children's Foundation president.
Now more than ever, funds raised will make all the difference for sick children like Daniel, the event spokeschild. When Daniel was born, his parents were concerned to learn that he was deaf. At the age of three, the boy started the process for a bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implant, a procedure that would require four surgeries at the Children's. "The implant allowed me to hear, like everyone else," explained Daniel. "And it's all thanks to generous people like the Pedal for Kids participants."
The teams
Over the past 29 years, Pedal for Kids has brought together hundreds of thousands of people, as well as hundreds of businesses and community groups, raising over $13 million for sick children. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank this year's participating teams: Air Canada Vacations, AppDirect, Colliers International, Cossette, Daniel's Ride, Deloitte, Harrison's Ride, Jarislowsky Fraser, Jean Fortin & Associates, Morgan Stanley, Osler, Paysafe Group, Rio Tinto, Robinson Sheppard Shapiro, Scotiabank, TD Wealth Management, Tecsys Inc.
The organizing committee
Year after year, the organizing committee's dedication, essential to the success of Pedal for Kids, is an inspiration to the Children's Foundation. Given this year's unprecedented situation, we are especially grateful to them. For their tireless work, we would like to thank the members of the committee: Eddy Farrace, Rudy Azoulay, Michael Conway, Paul Normandin, John Lukca, Anthony Pepper, Michel Théroux, Johanne Sabourin and Suzanne Eissa.
ABOUT PEDAL FOR KIDS
Pedal for Kids began in 1992 when Sylvie Lalumière and Michael Conway decided to raise funds in memory of their daughter Meagan, who received treatment at the Montreal Children's Hospital. 29 years later, almost 300 000 cyclists and 200 participating teams have contributed to save lives. Their support is essential to the improvement of pediatric care, and equally to the innovation of several treatment centres, including the Wake-up Centre, the Family Resource Centre, the Psychiatry Department, the Adolescent Clinic and the Craniofacial and Cleft Palate Unit. For more information, please visit Pedal For Kids.
ABOUT THE MONTREAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
The mission of the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation is to inspire and mobilize the community to support innovation in research, teaching and care at the Montreal Children's Hospital, the pediatric teaching hospital for McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, and pediatric research at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. The Children's Foundation has launched the largest fundraising campaign for a pediatric hospital in Quebec's history, with a goal of $200 million to advance innovative projects that will push the envelope in pediatrics on an international scale and help the Children's Find Unexpected Ways to Heal. Since its inception in 1973, the Foundation has raised over $500 million, which has transformed the lives of sick children through innovative research and teaching projects, and cutting-edge care. For more information, please visit childrenfoundation.com.
SOURCE The Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation
